Grate.



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

GRATE.

.Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 13, 1906.

. Application filed February 3, 1905. Serial No. 243.972.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR EUGENE HAL- DERMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Marion, in the county of Grant and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Grate, vof which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to grates, and has for its principal objects the provision of a strong and durable device of this character, which may be efficiently operated.

It consists in the various features and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fire-box with one embodiment of my invention inserted therein, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking from the left in Fig. 1, with the fire-box removed. Fig. 3 is -f a similar view looking at the opposite end. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the fire-box and grate, parts being in section. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional detail on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of one of the grate-bars on the line 6 6 of Fi .,3.

In the walls of a fire-box 10, whic is here shown as of a form adapted for use in connection with a ran e, is set a grate-frame 1 1, having de ending omits opposite ends hangers 12 an separated from one another by angles of substantially one hundred and twenty degrees.

' These arms support at their outer extremities curved grate-bars 19, having separated ends between which is a space 20 of less Width than that of the frame-Opening, it being conveniently two-thirds thereof. Each grate-bar is shown as of somewhat elongated hexagonal Section, the major dimension lying in a radius from the shaft and the apices of the lateral vangles being in proximity to one another in the adjacent bars, the Sides thus diverging out- Wardly to form flaring air-spaces. The dimen- 13. At the lower extremity of the hanger 12 is a boss 14, in which is a bore or" opening to receive a grate-shaft 15, which ex'- sions of the frame, hangers, and bars are such that said bars project upwardly through the frame-opening, lying close to it at each side, and having their curved portions projecting into the fire-box. The number of bars is such as to fill the frame longitudinally, with suitable spaces between the successive bars.

Upon the wall of the fire-box, over the squared end of the rate-shaft, is mounted a door 21, preferably y hinges 22, and having a securing device 23, by which it may be fastened to the box. Through this door is an opening registering with the end of the shaft and serving to allow the application of the gv'ench. It maybe closed bya pivoted cover ner. side of the door is a locking member which is shown in the form of a disk 25 and has a peripheral recess 26. Into this' recess enters a projection or lug 27, extending from the inner'iface of the door when the same is closed, the position o f this projection being such that when it is in coaction with the recess, the grate will be locked with the spaces in its bars 'below the grate-frame. While in this relation, it will prevent the turning of the grate to bring lthe spaces above the frame thus normallyfurnishing aproper support foi' the fuel.

When it is desired to shake the grate, this may be done by applying a wrench to the y grate-shaft through the door-opening, the -l'length of the recess in the locking member beling sufficient to enable this to be done and allowing the bars to be oscillatedvwithout bringin g their spaces above the frame. If one wishes to remove a portion of the exhausted fuel, ash, or incombustible material from the bottom of the fire, the door is opened, thus withdrawing the proj ection from coaction with the locking member. Then, upon applying a Wrench to the grate-shaft the 'grate may Fixed uponthe shaft adjacent to the inbe completely rotated, bringing the spaces in its bars beneath the fire and letting the lower portion of the contents yof the fre-boxl drop within the bars. When the spaces reach posltions below the frame, this material falls into the ash-pan. The relatively narrow spaces in the bars allows this separation to be effected by a more or less continuous rotary movement without disturbing `the ginconsumed fuel. When the grate reaches its proper position for the normal support of the fuel, and not before, it may be locked in place by closing the door. If the fire is to be completely dumped, the grate-bar spaces are left upper- IOO most until the contents of the fire-boX enters the grate, whereupon it is reversed and einptied in the manner ust described.

It should be noted that the spaces between the successive bars are entirely unobstructed and that the supporting shaft and arms are so located as not to be subjected to eXtreme heat, therefore rendering the structure more durable.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination with a hre-box, of a shaft rotatably supported thereon, a member having a recess and being fixed upon the shaft7 curved grate-barscarried by the shaft, and a door movable over the end of the shaft OSCAR EUGENE HALDERMAN.

Witnesses:

YV. H. CARROLL, EDITH EsTHER EGBERT. 

